Eflite/Blade product developers frequently read these posts and even make comments on occasion. Keep up the good lighting mod work guys, you just might see some of the fruits of you labor in future production models!
Just as a matter of info, I've had many single rotor and coaxial helis over the course of 5 years and can truthfully say I rank the little mCX2 as one of the best in my fleet. Believe it or not, I also love my several Esky Lama V3 coaxials of which I have painted to look more realistic than their stock toyish lime green color scheme. Between the V3s and mCX2s ( I have two), I haven't had one single electronics or mechanical failure, to date.
Granted, the mCX2 is more or less classified as a "beginner" introduction into this fantastic hobby, but I bet I'm not alone when I say that for me, the relaxed, slow scale flight characteristics of this little gem is very satisfying and just flat out fun!!

Went to the LHS today and found the BNF mSR for $95. So, considering the 4-lipo charger came with it along with the power adapter and two lipos, the helicopter cost me about $30.

I tried to hover it but it sure is a lot more work than the mCX2! And so fast! Even in slow mode. Sure glad I started with the mCX2.

heh heh

Well, we are gonna be flying cousins... I am moving from my little mCX2 to a SR - the mSR's big brother... just put in the order for the bnf version tonight.

...then, after I knock it around, it already has a scale Huey UH-1 body waiting on it...

...and then it's on to the CP Pro2....

...and then the package the UPS guy just left at my door tonight... Blade 400 3D! I'll be un-boxing the Blade 400 tonight and doing RADD school on it, but that is as far as we go with it until I'm flying something other than the mCX2!

So it appears that I have my flight deck all figured out, all I have to do is build the skill to fly 'em. (I also figured that in the back of my mind, something is gonna get crunched, so having multiple 'mounts' while fixing the downed bird would make sense)...

I am now officially putting myself on a purchase moratorium, though... I figure having that many craft before I can even hover a CP outside the sim is plenty!

You might want to check out Tinybritelights.com They have a bunch of lighting systems for small planes and helicopters.

Thanks, DoomsDay!

I saw some of the kits at other sites (have not gone to tinybrightlights yet) prewired, but I'm not sure if they would have exactly the feature set I'm after, etc. and the other places were a bit pricey (like ~$35-40 if I recall)

So, rather than goof around at radio shack, and also rather than try to rig a generic version for my needs, I figured I'd try the following:

I have a Huey UH-1 kit that is getting prepped for mounting on a SR. I need lights for it.

So, the lights recommended for it look like they come two per pack, and the list even includes a flashing red, with no other electronics needed, so by ordering for the Huey, I think I have all the goodies to outfit my incoming Hughes 500 type body, too.

I looked at the specs for the E-flite LED controller (at first I figured who needs a controller for LEDS?) and man, for ~$8, it actually does a lot! Feeds multiple (up to 16) LEDs, and you can control it with a spare transmitter channel, or program it to throttle setting, etc. Very versatile!

So here is my parts list ordered tonight, should suffice to outfit two birds, with maybe an extra wire needed here and there:

So if my figurin' turns out right, that is less than $11 bucks a bird for two helis, to turn 'em in to head-turnin, night flyin' demons! heh heh

Can't fly backwards ?

Rather only at a snails pace, I've checked everything obvious, what am I missing?

I think we should start with basics/obvious:

1) Has it ever flown backwards quickly?
2) Is it trimmed for level flight at center stick?
3) Are you on the long swash plate rods or short ones?
4) Have you just sat and observed the elevator movement on the servo rod and swashplate, at zero throttle, including looking down the body so that you can observe the linkage for possible interference? The LED harness can get tangled up with one pretty easily, forget which of the three servos it is.

The only problem I saw with it is that the change means your plug does not remove all the wiring anymore, so you need to add wire to the orange lead as a service loop, allowing you to remove the tail. Things are tight enough in there already, and I just hate the idea of a chain of parts tied together by wire...

So, I thought I would "mod" his "mod" by just jumping a suitable ground from the PCB to the existing post on the header, where the plug with the orange wire goes.

This would cause the intermittently grounded (through the existing blinker circuit), then open connection to be permanently grounded, thus achieving the same result, but with a less invasive mod, and one that still allows routine removal of the tail exactly as it is now.

I have the appropriate gauge PCB jump wire, and decent soldering skills (though I hate surface mount/small resolution hand soldering!), so I got the handy ohm meter out to verify the ground at the cap, and then string a wire from there to the header PCB pad at the orange position.

While in there probing, I decided to verify if the unused pin on the header was VCC, Gnd, open, or even something else entirely.

So the obvious final and least invasive solution of all was at hand, just pull orange wire and pin, and relocate to the unused header position. In case you want to reverse this mod, just be careful to not over bend the tang holding the metal pin in, otherwise, it will break. But removing it with care means if for some reason I didn't like it, or wanted to return it to stock, it's easily done.

Rather only at a snails pace, I've checked everything obvious, what am I missing?

In order for forward and backward flight speed to be approximately the same, your mCX2 should be trimmed out to hover in one spot WHEN ALL trims on your Tx are set to neutral (except the throttle trim, of course).
OK, here ya go.........set Tx trims to neutral and bring your mCX2 up in hover and note which way it drifts. Leave the Tx trims set at neutral. Pop your canopy cover off and viewing the swashplate linkage arms from the rear of the heli, carefully pop the LEFT servo arm off the swashplate ball and turn it 360 degrees (one complete turn) counter clockwise IF the heli is drifting to the left. Turn the arm clockwise IF the heli drifts to the right. If your heli is drifting backwards, pop the arm off the RIGHT swashplate ball and twist it 360 degrees clockwise. If she drifts forward, turn the arm counter clockwise.
Put the canopy back on and test fly. Repeat as necessary until your mCX2 hovers in one spot.
During flight, you should only have to adjust the rudder trim for tail hold, you should not have to ever touch the other trims.
NOTE: those servo arm loop holes fit on the swashplate ball from one side only, so make sure to make your twist adjustments in one complete turn, 360 degrees. They should pop back on fairly easily without much force. I use a pair of surgical pliers to hold the swashplate arm right up against the ball as I pop the loop hole off with a finger nail. Be very careful, that plastic swashplate arm will bend if not supported in a similar manner.

Yes to all. I moved to the LONG swash now that you mention it and that's when it started also all movement is now slower after doing so.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tracknoob

I think we should start with basics/obvious:

1) Has it ever flown backwards quickly?
2) Is it trimmed for level flight at center stick?
3) Are you on the long swash plate rods or short ones?
4) Have you just sat and observed the elevator movement on the servo rod and swashplate, at zero throttle, including looking down the body so that you can observe the linkage for possible interference? The LED harness can get tangled up with one pretty easily, forget which of the three servos it is.

Yes to all. I moved to the LONG swash now that you mention it and that's when it started also all movement is now slower after doing so.

Depending on your transmitter, you may be in slow rate mode of a dual rate setup. If it's the little flying V controller, press down on the right hand stick, and see if the LED flashes. That's low rate mode. For taking it easy. Press again and solid LED should be fast rate mode.

There are rate mode switches on the other transmitters, too but they are toggles.

Odd that it would be trimmed to fly stable, and you are on longer swash, but getting less response...

Also note, if you have a dx6i, it defaults it to 50% rates on 0 and 100% on 1. I am kinda anal-retentive when it comes to my switches and like everything on 0 to be full and if I am going to switch it down, then I will use 1. That way you always know what rate everything is in at a single glance.

In order for forward and backward flight speed to be approximately the same, your mCX2 should be trimmed out to hover in one spot WHEN ALL trims on your Tx are set to neutral (except the throttle trim, of course).
OK, here ya go.........set Tx trims to neutral and bring your mCX2 up in hover and note which way it drifts. Leave the Tx trims set at neutral. Pop your canopy cover off and viewing the swashplate linkage arms from the rear of the heli, carefully pop the LEFT servo arm off the swashplate ball and turn it 360 degrees (one complete turn) counter clockwise IF the heli is drifting to the left. Turn the arm clockwise IF the heli drifts to the right. If your heli is drifting backwards, pop the arm off the RIGHT swashplate ball and twist it 360 degrees clockwise. If she drifts forward, turn the arm counter clockwise.
Put the canopy back on and test fly. Repeat as necessary until your mCX2 hovers in one spot.
During flight, you should only have to adjust the rudder trim for tail hold, you should not have to ever touch the other trims.
NOTE: those servo arm loop holes fit on the swashplate ball from one side only, so make sure to make your twist adjustments in one complete turn, 360 degrees. They should pop back on fairly easily without much force. I use a pair of surgical pliers to hold the swashplate arm right up against the ball as I pop the loop hole off with a finger nail. Be very careful, that plastic swashplate arm will bend if not supported in a similar manner.

If anyone is having issues with unstable hovering and/or snails pace tail first flight, I strongly recommend following the steps detailed in this post. I was using way too much trim inputs to prevent drifting and once I centered the trims and followed these steps to make the mechanical adjustments to the servo arms, my mcx2 flight habits settled right down. Especially stable hovers and noticible increased airspeed flying tail first. Thanks CCbusa for the tips!

If anyone is having issues with unstable hovering and/or snails pace tail first flight, I strongly recommend following the steps detailed in this post. I was using way too much trim inputs to prevent drifting and once I centered the trims and followed these steps to make the mechanical adjustments to the servo arms, my mcx2 flight habits settled right down. Especially stable hovers and noticible increased airspeed flying tail first. Thanks CCbusa for the tips!

You're entirely welcome sir! If it wasn't for sites like rcgroups.com, I'd of given up on this hobby years ago!